St. Nicholas Greek Festival is back; North Country Hard Cider moves to Dover
If you love food, you will love the St. Nicholas Greek Festival, which is back this weekend after pandemic cancellations the last two years. And we all missed its lamb shanks, chicken souvlaki, spanakopita, gyros and baklava among so many other Greek treats. Better get there early on Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25 when the festival runs noon to 9 p.m. each day on the church grounds on Andrew Jarvis Drive in Portsmouth. The party with live music, dancing and marketplace is rain or shine with no admission fee.
And don't forget Fill The Hall on Sunday at The Music Hall in Portsmouth where you can drop off food donations for Gather from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or you can make a donation to Gather anytime online at gather.networkforgood.com/projects/83383-gather-2019-2020 to help them meet the rising demand they're facing in Seacoast communities.
North Country Hard Cider moves to Dover
North Country Hard Cider is moving to a new home in Dover. The company's Lower Mill location in Rollinsford closed June 19 and its new home at 38 Littleworth Road in Dover will host a grand opening on Saturday, June 25, and is expected to be fully operational by the end of the month. The new location doubles the options on tap from North Country's old Rollinsford location. There'll be a variety of hard ciders, and non-alcoholic seltzers, along with rotating seasonal or special flavors. Learn the how and why from North Country's owners themselves in reporter Megan Fernandes' story below.
Ceal's Clam Stand turns 75
Congratulations to Ceal's Clam Stand at Seabrook Beach, which is celebrating its 75th year in business this summer. The restaurant, which opens June 28 this year and operates through Labor Day, has been run by four generations of women in the Henderson family. The business began in 1948, according to Florence Henderson, when her grandfather, Russell Littlefield, decided his daughter and Henderson’s mother, Cecelia (Ceal), needed the financial independence her own business would provide.
Lexie's named state's best burger
Reader's Digest released its Best Burgers from Coast to Coast list this week, and local favorite Lexie's was named best in the Granite State. The article noted its "budget-friendly menu and four convenient locations" and the fact that Lexie's asks customers not to make substitutions to their specialty burgers, which have become legendary in these parts, but will help create "your dream beef, chicken, or bean burger with the build-your-own menu option."
In Maine, Reader's Digest name the Palais Royale at the Palace Diner in Biddeford as that state's best.
More: Portsmouth Pride 2022 will be bigger than before: Here's what you need to know
Seacoast Wing Festival returns for second year
The Second Annual Seacoast Wing Festival will take place on June 25, from noon to 6 p.m., at the Raitt Homestead Farm Museum with wings from area restaurants and food trucks, craft beer, cocktails, live music, craft vendors, a wing eating contest and a variety of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Advance general admission is $15. Gate admission is $20. Kids 12 and under are free. Tickets are available at eventbrite.com.
More: Fill The Hall food and funds drive comes as Gather sees record need, rising costs
Vintage & Vine tickets on sale now
Strawbery Banke Museum's popular Vintage & Vine — A Wine Festival in Historic Style will take place Saturday, Sept. 10, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Offering an extensive selection of wines and cuisine prepared by greater Seacoast-area chefs and caterers, the event is a major fundraiser for the museum. Tickets are limited and went on sale to the public this week at StrawberyBanke.org/events/vintage-and-vine.cfm.
An oyster boom in Maine
And we learned from an Associated Press story this week that Maine is producing more oysters than ever. The state's 2021 oyster harvest was the largest and most valuable in its history, according to recent data from the Department of Marine Resources in Maine. The state's haul of oysters, the vast majority of which are from farms, grew by more than 50% last year to more than 6 million pounds. Maine oysters were worth more than $10 million at the docks last year, a decade after they were worth less than $1.3 million. They're now the fourth most valuable marine resource in the state, where lobster is still by far the most important seafood.
Each week in this newsletter, we highlight our best stories from the Seacoast's restaurant community. Please forward this Local Flavor newsletter to your family, friends and acquaintances who might be interested. You can sign up to receive this newsletter here. And If you are a subscriber, thank you for helping to make our work possible. If you don’t subscribe, please consider supporting Seacoastonline.com and Fosters.com today here.
Enjoy,
Jane Murphy, Editor, Local Flavor
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: St. Nicholas Greek Festival returns; North Country Hard Cider moves
